Internal combustion engine



Feb. 9, 1943. E, os o 2,310,542

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 23, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.1.

ul lll III INVENTOR.

JYL

Feb. 9, 1943. os o 2,310,542

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 23, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 2 r INVEN TOR.

Feb. 9, 1943. A. E. OSBORN 2,310,542

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENG INE Filed Aug. 23, 19.40 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 R Q o l N K I PIC-1.3.

Fatented Feb 9, 3343 STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide, in a four cycle slide or sleeve valve engine of either spark ignition, surface ignition, or compression ignition type, improvements that reduce the number of parts, the weight and cost, and increase the reliability and eificiency. My invention also provides for very large port areas and for superior cooling of the parts, thereby permitting the use of larger cylinders than would otherwise be practical. It relates particularly to modifications and improvements in an engine of the general type shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 336,685, filed May 23, 1940, and in my application Serial No. 348,351, filed July 30, 1940, with such modifications as render the principle of operation set forth in those applications adaptable for use in a slide or sleeve valve engine. It should be understood that, while my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings as used with a single cylinder air-cooled type of engine, it is not limited to use with that type of engine alone and may be used with multiple cylinder engines having radial or in-line type cylinders with air or liquid cooling and that the air for the inlet passage, altho shown as supplied by a blower, can be obtained from an air current that may be passing the engine by providing for conducting air from this air current into this passage. When an engine embodying my invention operates on the Diesel or the hot surface ignition principle, the spark ignition parts, shown in the accompanying drawings, are omitted and the fuel injection occurs during the compression or combustion strokes instead of the suction or compression strokes as when electric ignition is used.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in a simplified form and many of the parts required in an actual operating engine, but not essential to the illustration .of my invention, have been omitted from the drawings.

Where similar Darts having similar functions are shown in the two forms of my invention illustrated in the drawings, these parts all have the same reference numbers and are not specifically mentioned in the description of each modification unless their relation to that modification requires that mention be made to them. The term port, as used both in the description and claims, refers to a controlled opening that may or may not be divided by bridges and not necessarily to one continuous area without a break.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional Figure 2 represents a longitudinal sectionalelevation of an engine embodying a modified form of my invention, and

Figures 3, 4 and 5 represent diagrammatic partial sectional views of parts of the form of my invention shown in Figure 1 illustrating the sleeve valve and port positions with the piston on dead center in three other periods of its operating cycle from that in which it is shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 1 the engine illustratin my inven tion is shown with the parts in the position they would assume at the end of the exhaust. stroke with the piston just starting on the suction stroke. In this figure the cylinder l0 contains the sleeve valve IS, the piston l4 and an inverted cylinder head l6 that extends into the sleeve valve opposite to the piston and is provided with the usual ring l8 or other means to assist in preventing leakage between the head and sleeve. The piston l4 operates the crankshaft 5 which shaft is shown as provided with a flywheel l. The cylinder head l6, that has cooling fins I1, is provided with a fuel injection nozzle and, if electric ignition is used, with a spark plug that is connected, by the usual electric ignition system, to the time on the half-speed shaft 6 which is rotated by the crankshaft 5. The shaft 6 is shown as carrying the fuel pump cam 35 that is longitudinally slidable, by moving the lever 3|, in order to bring different parts of its cam surface into action to operate the fuel pump 32 to vary the stroke thereof and regulate the timing and amount of fuel pumped thru the nozzle 30.

The sleeve valve I5 is provided with an inlet port ll co-operating with the cylinder inlet passage l2 and an exhaust port 28 which co-operates with an exhaust passage I3 in the cylinder, the sleeve inlet port being arranged to open a little later than the exhaust port. Both inlet and exhaust ports of the sleeve are closed off from inside the cylinder by the inverted head l6 and ring or rings thereon when the sleeve is moved to the inner end of its stroke and, at the same time, are closed by the cylinder wall on the outside of the sleeve l5 thus making it necessary for any leakage from the cylinder to pass both the inverted head rings and the sleeve clearance when the ports are in their closed position. The sleeve valve is given its reciprocating movement by the crank pin 20 on the shaft 6 and the small connecting rod I9.

' The width of the cylinder passage [2 and sleeve port II is such that, when the sleeve i6 is at the outer end of its stroke, the sleeve port II would be closed by being below the passage l2 in the cylinder. Thus the upper inlet port ii opens, closes, and again opens while the exhaust port 26 is opened. This upper port H and the cylinder passage l2 communicates with a source of air under pressure that is in Figure 1 represented by the blower 22 shown as driven by the engine crankshaft 5. The blower connects to the passage I2 thru the passages 21 and 9 and also connects with an extension of the passage 21 forming a chamber surrounding the cylinder into which chamber the piston-controlled port 26 opens, thus providing that the single blower 22 can supply air to both the ports II and 26. The timing of the port openings are shown in Figure 1 in combination with the diagrammatic views Figures 3, 4 and 5. In Figure 1, in which the piston II is shown at the outer end the combustion stroke, the exhaust port 26 is considerably opened and both piston-controlled inlet port 26 and the head-controlled inlet port H are opened admitting scavenging air from the blower 22. As the piston l4 moves inward on the exhaust stroke the sleeve valve l moves outward and the piston closes the lower port 26 while the upper port I I is closed by that port and the cylinder passage l2 becoming out of line so that, at the end of the exhaust stroke, the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 with the upper inlet port II still closed. As the piston l4 travels outward on the suction stroke the sleeve valve i 5 starts its inward motion, so that, before the piston has moved very far, the inlet port ll opens, admitting air under pressure from the blower 22, with the result that no exhaust gas would be drawn back into the cylinder thru the still-open exhaust port 28. At the end of the suction stroke the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4 with the upper inlet port ll closed, the exhaust port 26 practically closed and the lower inlet port 26 open and admitting air for super-compression from the blower 22 until it is closed by the piston I4 which would be somewhat later than this port 26 is closed on the exhaust stroke, giving time for more air to enter the cylinder. The piston l4 and sleeve I 5 now ascend on the compression stroke and the parts assume the position in which they are shown in Figure 5, and are ready for a new operating cycle to commence. Air is thus admitted to the cylinder immediately after the exhaust port 28 opens near the end of the combustion stroke thru both top and bottom ports H and 26, continues to be admitted thru the top port ll until a little past bottom center on the exhaust stroke, remains shut ofl until about 30' past top center on the suction stroke, when it is again admitted through the port II and continues to be admitted thru that port for a short time during the suction stroke and at the end of that stroke is again admitted thru the port and 26 until about 45 past bottom center on the compression stroke and after the exhaust port 28 has closed, thus increasing the volume of the charge compressed and permitting more fuel to be burned in the cylinder. It will be noticed that the upper inlet port II is closed except for short periods during the exhaust stroke and during the early part of the suction stroke, thereby eliminating the escape of a considerable amount of compressed air and permitting a smaller blower to be used. It will also be noticed that the inlet port ll opens after the exhaust port 28 has opened so that the pressure in the cylinder would be considerably reduced before the inlet port opened so that no, or only a small amount of, exhaust gas would enter the inlet passage.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure 2 (which illustrates the parts in the position they assume at the end of the. combustion stroke) the upper cylinder passage 42 is supplied with relatively low pressure air by a blower I or other means, while the lower sleeve port 26 is supplied with relatively high pressure air by the blower 22. This particular form of my invention shown in Figure 2 has the advantage that the blower 22 supplies air only to the piston-controlled port 26 and can, therefore, be smaller than is needed for the form of my invention shown in Figure 1, while, at the same time, air under pressure is admitted to the upper port of the cylinder as in Figure 1. The operation of this form of my invention is similar to the previously described form and it is not believed to be necessary to give a further explanation.

It is obvious that the time of the opening and closing of the ports in relation to the piston movement in the diflerent forms of myinvention is determined by a great many different factors, such as the angular relation of the valve crank pin to the main crank pin, the length 0! the sleeve valve stroke, the amount of offset of the sleeve connecting rod pin in relation to the valve crankshaft (if the same is oflset) the size and position of the lower sleeve valve port in relation to the piston, the position of the edges of the lower cylinder passage in relation to this lower sleeve port, the size and position of the upper sleeve ports in relation to the inverted cylinder head, and the position of the edges of the upper cylinder passages in relation to these upper sleeve ports. Thus the timing need not be exactly as set forth in the description of my invention, as a simple change in the position of one port makes a considerable difference in the action of the engine. For instance, in some cases, it might be desirable to employ the air admitted into the cylinder thru the piston-controlled-port 26 solely for supplying air for supercompression alone. This can be done simply by lowering the lower sleeve port 26 so that it is not uncovered by the piston H at the end of the combustion stroke owing to the sleeve I! being down to nearly bottom center at that time and so that, at the end of the suction stroke, when the sleeve I5 is further up in the cylinder and the exhaust port 26 closed, the sleeve port 26 would be uncovered by the piston H and supercompresslon air admitted. Thus, the use of a smaller high pressure blower 22 would be brought about simply by lowering the sleeve port 26 and with no other change in the construction. This same closing of the lower port 26 at the end of the combustion stroke can also be obtained by raising the lower edge of the blower air passage 21 leading to this lower sleeve port so that, when the sleeve i5 is low with the exhaust port 26 open, this sleeve port 26 is closed on the outside of the sleeve by the edge of the cylinder passage 21 while, as soon as the exhaust 26 closes by the sleeve moving up during the suction stroke, this sleeve port 26 is opened on its outside to the air passage 21 and is then opened on its inside by the piston ll to admit the super-compression air. The only change in this case is height of the top of the sleeve port 26 in relation to the lower edge of the surrounding air passage 21 of the cylinder.

It should be understood that the terms "upper or "lower and top or bottom are used in the description for the sake of clarity since the engines are shown in the drawings with the crankshaft below the cylinder but other types of engines embodying my invention may be made in which these terms would not correctly apply.

. I claim:

1. In a four cycle internal combustion engine which has a cylinder, an inlet and an exhaust passage thru the wall of said cylinder, a means for supplying air under pressure to said inlet passage, a piston, a longitudinally movable sleeve valve in said cylinder and extending between said cylinder and said piston, a re-entrant head extending into said sleeve valve, a shaft rotated by the movement of said piston, a means whereby said sleeve valve is given one complete outward and inward movement in said cylinder for each two revolutions of said shaft, and an exhaust port in said sleeve valve adapted to be opened and closed by an edge of said cylinder head when said sleeve valve is given its said movements in relation to said piston, a port thru said sleeve valve near the upper end thereof adapted to be opened by an edge of said cylinder head, to be closed by an edge of said cylinder wall at said inlet passage and to be again opened by said cylinder wall edge and to be again closed by said edge of said cylinder head during each two revolutions of said shaft and said outward and inward movements of said sleeve valve.

2. In a four cycle internal combustion engine which has a cylinder, an inlet and an exhaust passage thru the wall of said cylinder, a means closed by an edge of said cylinder head when said sleeve valve is given its said movements in re- .lation to said piston, a port thru said sleeve for supplying air under pressure to said inlet passage, a piston, a longitudinally movable sleeve valve in said cylinder and extending between said cylinder and said piston, a re-entrant head extending into said sleeve valve, a shaft rotated by the movement of said piston, a means whereby said sleeve valve is given one complete outward and inward movement in said cylinder for each two revolutions of said shaft, and an exhaust port in said sleeve valve adapted to be opened and closed by an edge of said cylinder head when said valve near the upper end thereof and adapted to be opened and closed by an edge'of said cylinder head and by an edge of .said cylinder wall at said inlet passage when the sleeve valve is given its said movements in relation to said cylinder, said upper sleeve port being so positioned in relation to the lower edge of the cylinder head and to the lower edge of the inlet passage in the cylinder wall that, during the outward movement of the sleeve, the .port therein will first be opened by passing below said lower edge of the cylinder head and into register with the inlet passage of the cylinder wall and, by the further outward movement of the sleeve, said port will be closed by moving below said lower edge of said inlet passage in the wall of said cylinder and out of register with the inlet passage and, will, during the inward movement of the sleeve, again be opened by coming into register with the inlet passage in the cylinder wall and will later be closed by the further inward movement of said sleeve bringing the port above the lower edge of the cylinder head.

4. In a four cycle internal combustion engine which has a cylinder, an inlet and an exhaust passage thru the wall of said cylinder near the head end thereof, a means for supplying air under pressure to said inlet passage, a piston, a longitudinally movable sleeve valve in said cylinder and extending between said cylinder and said pistop, a re-entrant head extending into said sleeve valve, a shaft rotated by the movement of said piston, means whereby-said sleeve valve is given one complete outward and inward movement in 'said cylinder for each two revolutions of said sleeve valve is given its said movements in relation to said piston, a port thru said sleeve valve near the upper end thereof and adapted to be opened and closed by an edge of said cylinder head and by an edge of said cylinder wall at said inlet passage when. the sleeve valve is given its said movements in relation to said cylinder whereby the inlet passage in the cylinder wall is opened and air is admitted into the cylinder during a part of the exhauststroke of the piston, whereby the inlet passage isclosed .during the latter part of the exhaust stroke and remains closed during the first part of the inlet stroke, and whereby the inlet passage is re-opened durshaft, an inlet and an exhaust port thru said sleeve valve and adapted to be opened bytheir movement beyond the edge of said cylinder head when said sleeve valve is given its said outward movement in said cylinder, and to be closed by overlapping said edge of said cylinder head when said sleeve valve is given its inward movement in said cylinder, a piston-controlled inlet port in' said sleeve valve and adapted to be opened by said piston when said piston is near the outward end of its stroke, and a means for also supplying air under pressure to said piston-controlled inlet port-said first-mentioned inletport overlapping the wall of said cylinder when said sleeve valve is at the extreme outer end of its movement, with said sleeve valve operating means moving said sleeve valve outward to open said first-mentioned inlet port and said exhaust port during the combustion stroke of said piston, moving said sleeve closed during the same stroke.

3. In a four cycle internal combustion engine which has a, cylinder, an inlet and an exhaust passage thru the wall of said cylinder, a means for supplying air'under pressure to said inlet passage, a piston, a longitudinally movable sleeve valve insaid cylinder and extending between said cylinder and said piston, a re-entrant head extending into said sleeve valve, a shaft rotated by the movement of said piston, a means whereby said sleeve valve is given one complete outward and inward movement in said cylinder for each two revolutions of said shaft, and an exhaust port in said sleeve valve adapted to be opened and valve further outward to close said first-mentioned inlet port by said ports overlapping said ward to close both said first-mentioned inlet port and said exhaust port during the compression stroke of said piston, with said .piston closing said iston-controlled port, and finally causing said sleeve valve to remain inward to keep said firstmentioned inlet port and said exhaust port closed during a part of the next combustion stroke of,

said piston.

ALDEN E. OSBORN- 

